Button, Blossom, Logan, and Parenthood (meta)
Here's my current outline on how this works. Liu knows Button's parentage before he springs Blossom from DCaMP, thanks to pre-jailbreak investigation. Blossom half-asks Liu in "Prize", decides she'd rather not know for sure, although she has her suspicions, thanks to the Suit's comments back in "Wilt". After Button is born, Blossom /'does' ask Liu because she wants a complete family medical history for Button. Liu confirms her suspicions about Logan. For everybody's protection from PPDC repercussions, Blossom and Liu (and everyone else at the Tang family compound) don't tell anyone Blossom knows about Button's existence. Blossom and Button are officially adopted as Tangs. Blossom debates introducing Button to Logan when Logan and Jackson are reassigned to Hong Kong. She decides against it, not wanting to expose herself, Button, and Logan to more risk and not wanting to give the PPDC more leverage to manipulate Logan. Which brings us to "Weird". The instant he opens the door and sees Button, Logan suspects what's up, remembering what was said back in "Wilt". Snicket's intense interest in Button and Button's smell is a further tip about the relationship. Most of the rest of Blossom and Logan's conversations in both "Weird" and "Job" is the two of them, in a sideways manner, working out what the other knows/suspects and negotiating the terms of their relationship. "Weird" in translation "You're a natural," glows Blossom. Translation: "You'd make a good dad." "Three years of practice with Jack's kids and the neighbours'." Shrugs, jostling Button. Translation: "Maybe." "Totally a natural. Ever want one of your own?" Translation: "Ever think of being a dad?" "Hell, no. My preferred lifestyle ain't exactly kid-friendly." Grimaces. "And there's the whole 'ace' thing." Translation: "Nope. Didn't think it was possible and wasn't really in a place I could be. Not sure I wouldn't fuck the bean up, either." "You don't need sex to have a kid. This's the twenty-first cent—" Translation: "Well, you have a chance now." "Riiiiight. I'll just pop down to the baby store, flash my record and my shiny new mental health sanction, and pick one out." Rolls his eyes. "That'd go /'real' well." Sighs. "Kinda surprised they didn't put a condition on me to stay away from Jack's kids." Translation: "No way we could make it official." Logan smirks, bobs his chin at Button. "'sides, I need a kid, I can borrow one. Got at least eight to choose from now." Translation: "Totally up for visiting, though." Blossom puffs up. "Mine's cutest." Translations: "Mine's cutest." Logan squints at Button. "Maaaaaybe." Translation: "Totally." "They did the same thing to Jack's wife." Glances at Button. "Still trying to figure out if they messed with the bean somehow, too, 'cause the neighbours' youngest? They act kinda weird." Translation: "I'm sorry. Please tell me nothing's wrong with Button." Blossom breathes out some tension. "Button's not doing anything like that. Yet." Translation: "There's nothing unusual going on with Button." "Well, Button wasn't grown in a PPDC city, like they were, ay?" Translation: "Thank god." "Nope, thank /'god'. The Narrator made sure of that." Preens. "Button's officially a Tang, in fact. You're holding 'Wei Tang Yun'." Translation: "Thanks for getting us out of that place." Logan raises an eyebrow. "The Narrator's kid?" Translation: "Well, /'that'll' keep you safe." "Cousin, like, eighteen-times-removed. Me, too. I'm 'Wei Tang Lan'." Grins. "It means 'orchid'." Translation: "It gets even better." "Makes it easier to remember." Blossom smiles. "So we're safe with the Narrator. /No /one messes with Tangs." Translation: "Nothing to worry about." "Cool," Logan nods—frowns. "But if you're safe there, why are you here in Corps country?" Translation: "Why are you risking all that, then?" "I wanted Button to meet you." Twirls her hair around a finger. "Maybe my parents, too. And Bubbles, of course, if we can find a safe way to get close to her. The Narrator's working on it." Translation: "I wanted you to know you're a dad and give you a chance to be part of Button's life." "I'm sure they'll figure something out," remarks Logan dryly. "Can't believe she's still wor—" Translation: "I'm going to ignore that for the moment." "Takes after Mum, ay?" Translation: "Snores like you, huh?" Blossom scowls. "If you weren't holding my baby, I'd punch you for that." Translation: "I seem to remember you snore like a train, too, Buttercup. This is your fault." "I could get used to having a human shield." Translation: "Guilty." "You're hopeless," sighs Blossom. Translation: "I kinda love you." Logan grins. "I'm hopeless and I have your baby." Slides to his feet, easing Button against his shoulder. "Getting stuffy in here; let's get some air." Translation: "I don't quite understand what you're feeling, but I get enough for it to make me uncomfortable so I'm changing the subject." "Job" in translation "You and your partner? When's your baby due?" Translation: "No one stares at prams like that who doesn't have a kid." "I'm not—" Shiiiit. Translation: "Holy shit. I have a kid." "Plushies?" Translation: "Please stop reminding me I have a kid." Hunch shoulders, plod after. Translation: "Oh my fucking god. I have a kid." Huff, "It's for a friend's." Translation: "I'm sorta in denial." All smarm: "Of course, Mx. Translation: "I can tell." Sigh. "A little more than eight months." Translation: "You caught me." "I'll leave you to it." Pats your arm— Translation: "You'll do just fine." You don't break their fingers. Translation: "I only know one way of dealing with this much emotion and it's totally inappropriate." That ... that seems right. Translation: "I don't quite know why, but it needs to a be a big cat." "You found one!" Claps. "And what a cutie!" Turns it to and fro. "Your baby's gonna /'love' it." Translation: "Good job, parental unit!" "/'Friend's' tyke." Translation: "Still in denial." "Oh, of course. A /'friend's'." Nestles the plushie in a bag-nest of tissue paper. Translation: "I still know." Glower, pay for the fluffball with cash. Translation: "I hate being this transparent." It wasn't that annoying the last three times. Translation: "It's so much weirder when it's your own kid." Set the bag between you and Blossom. Translation: "I still need some space, but I want to do /'something' for the two of you." "'s a plushie. A tiger. For the bean." Translation: "I /'think' this is how this works." Blossom's eyes get shiny. Translation: "Oh my god, you're trying to be a good dad." Rub your neck. "I got one for each of Jack's kids. A plushie. Not a tiger." Translation: "I'm still sorta in denial, so I'll try to play that off." Blossom nudges your shoulder. "Relax, Buttercup. It's a toy, not an engagement ring." Translation: "You're doing fine. Stop panicking." Huff. Translation: "Okay." "Thanks. Button'll love it." Translation: "You're doing a great job." "Why'd you hunt us down?" Translation: "This is uncharacteristic and I'm suspicious. What's up?" Shrug. Translation: "I don't want to answer that 'cause I'm worried about it." "You're about to do something stupid, ay?" Translation: "You're really worried about something." "Not so much stupid as old-fashioned." Translation: "It's kinda dangerous." "It'd suck if you survived Kaiju just to bleed out in some crap back alley." Translation: "Please don't die." "I won't die, then." Translation: "That's not exactly Plan A." Blossom rolls her eyes. "You're hopeless." Translation: "I don't know why I kinda love you, but I do." "Pretty much." Deep breath, swallow. "'m sorry. 'bout what I said that last day in the 'Dome." Translation: "I'm starting to get that. I'm really sorry about being a total asshole last time I saw you." Cringe. "Yea. That." Translation: "/'Really' sorry." "You were trying to show them hurting me wasn't getting what they wanted from you." Smiles up at you. "I know you didn't mean a word of it." Translation: "I totally know you were bullshitting them trying to help. I would've done something similar." Raise an eyebrow. Translation: "Really?" "You went right back to your quarters and called the cavalry." Shifts Button. "Wei told me." Translation: "I know exactly what you did for us and that it got you in trouble." Grunt. Translation: "Okay, then." Blossom grins at you, laughs, "/'Totally' a natural." Translation: "You'll make a great dad." Huff. Translation: "Still not sure about that." "Never imagined you would be good with kids." Translation: "I remember that story about you trying to kill your little brother. This is different and beautiful." "Drifting, uh, crosses people up, yea?" Look down at Button. "Pretty sure I caught it from Jack." Translation: "I've changed a lot, I guess." Blossom laughs. Translation: "You really have. For the better." You feel your eyes crinkle. Translation: "I could get used to this." "I may like this version of Buttercup even better than the old one." Translation: "I really do kinda love you." Sigh. "'m not sure what I think of him yet." Translation: "That's probably not a good idea. This 'caring' thing might wear off." "It's a big change for a sociopath to start liking kids." Her eyes twinkle. "It'll take some getting used to, I'm sure." Translation: "I think it's permanent." "What kind of kid are you raising, here?" Grin, pry the map out of Button's chubby hands. "Bean hasn't even had a birthday and's already picking pockets." Translation: "Oh my god, it's Mini-me." Blossom wipes her eyes, snickers, "Probably picking it up from you." Translation: "Like father, like bean." "Definitely not the first time I've been called a bad influence." Translation: "This is very, very weird, but strangely familiar. Didn't your mum say something like this about me?" "I can only imagine." Translation: "Yes. Yes, she did." "This's yours." Scruff the tiger out of the bag, nuzzle the bean's tummy with it. Translation: "Hey, bean. I'm dad." Button squeaks, squishes the tiger with both arms, coos, "Kit." Translation: "I have a cat just like Dad does!" Blossom leans over, whispers in Button's ear, "You like Kit, Button?" Translation: "Say 'thank you' to Dad." Button giggles, squeezes the tiger tighter. Translation: "Thank you! This's the greatest thing in the history of ever!" Push to your feet. "This's been nice and all, but I've got work." Translation: "I'm about to freak out, so I'm going to flee." Blossom sighs. "Take care of yourself, Buttercup." Translation: "I know. Be careful." "Always do, Orchid." Tip an imaginary hat. "You take care of yourself and your Button." Translation: "I will. Don't worry about me. You and Button are more important." "Always do, Buttercup." Blossom smiles. Translation:"I will." And a few in "Job" between Logan and Liu Wei picks up the hard drive, from the table, makes it disappear into a dark grey trench coat. "Did you check the contents?" says Wei. Translation: "There is content of interest to you on here." "Don't care." Cross your arms. "My job was to bring you the thing and I brought you the thing." Lean back. "I believe I'm supposed to be 'well compensated' for bringing you the thing?" Translation: "You're not going to tempt me." "Split that up and start college funds for Jack's beans and Blossom's kid." Translation: "I want your help investing. I'm not good with money and I want to do something concrete for my family." Both Wei's eyebrows climb a little higher. Translation: "Ah. You've figured it out about Button." Wei almost smiles; the envelope disappears into a coat pocket. "The hard drive is Drift Science's master copy of dossiers on every adult and child they have or are using as test subjects. All their names, all their genealogies, all their medical histories, all that was done to them." Translation: "I see through your tough guy act. So you know, you've already helped them all, along with many other families." "You'll tell them all what they need to know?" Translation: "Cool. You're not going to sit on that, are you?" "Of course." Translation: "I'm a crime lord, not a monster." Grunt. Translation: "Riiiiiight." "Anything about which you are curious?" Translation: "I can tell you the truth about Button." Shake your head. "Pretty blissful in my current state of ignorance." Translation: "I'm more comfortable with with some degree of doubt. Knowing for sure would probably hurt too much, since being together is out of the question because of the danger to Button from the fucking PPDC that tries to follow me everywhere." Wei nods, glides from the chair. Translation: "I understand." Grin. Translation: "Thanks. You don't totally suck."Category:Button (meta) Category:Blossom (meta) Category:Logan (meta) Category:Liu (meta) Category:Taking Root arc Category:Button Category:Blossom Category:Logan Category:Liu Category:Tang clan (mention) Category:Meta Pages